Trump to Meet Qatar PM as Iran War Peace Talks Face Uncertainty
Trump will meet Qatar's prime minister as efforts to end the Iran war continue, but disagreements over sanctions, Hormuz and nuclear talks threaten a deal.
Raja Awais Ali
11/9/20264 min read
Trump to Meet Qatar’s Prime Minister as Iran War Talks Continue, but No Immediate Deal in Sight
US President Donald Trump is set to meet Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani in Washington on Monday, November 9, as diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war continue. However, senior US and Gulf officials have warned that an immediate agreement remains unlikely, with Washington and Tehran still divided over the terms of a ceasefire.
Qatar has played a key mediating role since the conflict began, maintaining communication between the United States and Iran and working to bridge their differences. Sheikh Mohammed visited Tehran last week and is scheduled to meet Trump and US Vice President JD Vance in Washington. The discussions come after last week's US midterm elections, which increased political pressure on the Trump administration to bring the conflict to an end.
The war began on February 28, 2026, when the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran. More than eight months later, both sides continue to exchange attacks, while diplomatic efforts have yet to produce a lasting agreement. Trump has played down the likelihood of major military operations restarting on a larger scale but remains unwilling to accept Iran's current ceasefire proposal.
Under Tehran's proposal, the United States would first end its blockade of Iranian ports, lift some economic sanctions and stop its bombing campaign. In return, Iran would end its blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations over Iran's nuclear programme and additional sanctions would take place at a later stage.
Iran has suggested that the initial agreement could be completed within just two days. However, Washington has repeatedly rejected the proposal, arguing that Tehran's conditions are unacceptable. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described Iran's demands on Sunday as "outrageous and ridiculous and really not realistic."
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei defended the proposal on Monday, saying it was the most reasonable offer currently available. The disagreement highlights the gap between the two sides, particularly over the sequence of sanctions relief, military de-escalation and nuclear negotiations.
Rubio also said he did not expect an immediate diplomatic breakthrough despite growing pressure to end the war. His assessment was echoed by senior United Arab Emirates official Anwar Gargash, who said a comprehensive political settlement between Washington and Tehran appeared difficult.
Gargash warned that the region should prepare for a prolonged period of uncertainty, in which neither a decisive resolution to the conflict nor a stable regional order could be taken for granted.
The war has also become a political challenge for the Republican Party following losses in last week's US midterm elections. Senior Republicans, including Vice President JD Vance, have blamed the conflict for contributing to the party's electoral setbacks. Despite the growing domestic pressure, the Trump administration has not agreed to Iran's proposed terms.
Turkey is also working to prevent another escalation. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that he had told Trump that Ankara did not want to see the conflict intensify again. Erdogan said Turkey continued to support resolving the disputes through dialogue and diplomacy and was making every effort to prevent further escalation.
US Strikes Qeshm Island as Attacks on Gulf Shipping Continue
Diplomatic efforts are taking place alongside continued military activity. Iranian state media reported that US forces carried out strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island overnight on Sunday. A provincial official told the semi-official Fars news agency on Monday that the attacks did not damage vital infrastructure or disrupt essential services. Washington has not officially commented on the reports.
A senior Iranian source said the US strikes targeted radar systems used for air defence and maritime navigation, along with military bases associated with missile launchers and mine-laying systems.
Meanwhile, attacks on commercial vessels in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz have continued. International maritime agency figures released last week showed a sharp increase in tanker attacks during October, with incidents reaching their highest rate since the war began.
Iran generally does not acknowledge responsibility for attacks on vessels that report being hit by projectiles. However, Iranian authorities said on Sunday that a tanker had struck a naval mine east of the Strait of Hormuz.
An Iranian state television reporter claimed on Monday that 11 tankers had been disabled over the previous 10 days. The continuing incidents have raised concerns over commercial shipping and the security of one of the world's most important energy routes.
The conflict has already triggered a global energy shortage and affected regional security. Iranian attacks have targeted Gulf Arab countries, while the fighting also contributed to a major Israeli offensive in Lebanon during the spring and summer. Yemen's long-frozen civil war has also intensified again as the Iran-backed Houthi group became involved in the wider regional conflict.
Houthis Claim Attack on Saudi Aramco Building in Riyadh
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group said on Sunday that it had attacked an office building belonging to Saudi state oil company Aramco in Riyadh. The incident caused windows to shatter across several floors of the building in the Saudi capital's financial district.
Saudi Arabia's Energy Ministry acknowledged damage resulting from an attempted attack on the building but did not identify those responsible. The Houthi claim came amid continued regional tensions and attacks involving Saudi Arabia and Iran-aligned forces.
The latest developments show how difficult it remains to secure a ceasefire despite continued diplomatic contacts. Qatar is trying to bring Washington and Tehran closer to an agreement, but major disagreements over sanctions, the US blockade, the Strait of Hormuz and Iran's nuclear programme remain unresolved.
With military activity continuing around Qeshm Island, attacks threatening commercial shipping and the Houthis targeting Saudi interests, the prospects for an immediate settlement remain uncertain. Trump's meeting with Qatar's prime minister could provide another opportunity for diplomatic progress, but US and Gulf officials are not expecting a breakthrough in the near future.
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